Hi again!

[shelomit]

Howdy, nice to meet you : ) Ponytails can be a problem eventually because they stress your hair in the same place every day, but at shoulder length you don't have a lot of options for keeping your hair out of your way, so I figure it ought to be fine.

[CuteCrow]

welcome back! I suggest you explore the general forums, all your questions have been answered before here. I second lapushka that expensive hair products don't equal good products, you have to see if they work for your hair first and foremost. But I'll try to answer some of your questions,
- Hairties are not extremely damaging if they don't have the metal thinguie but if you always wear the hairtie in the same place it can cause breackage, try using scrunchies or claw clips as they are more gentle for the hair
- Braids don't make hair grow faster, tight braids can cause hair loss known as traction alopecia
- I think you just need to practice hairstyles, if one braid falls out try two braids or a braid half up.

[hopeforchange]

What are the main things I should look for in a shampoo? I actually don't want to buy my really expensive shampoo again, especially if it's not necessary for healthy hair. I bought my kids shampoo and conditioner from Costco that is vegan, sulfate and paraban free. What else should I look for in a shampoo and conditioner?

[milosmomma]

Welcome back!
You mentioned you feel like the distance from hair line to braid is too far, have you tried starting the braid higher/closer to your hairline? Some people start with a tiny section just where the bangs/fringe would be. I admit I am not one of said people and usually start my braids by using almost the whole crown section, as if I was starting a half up pony tail, smooth it out or detangle it after separating if needed before starting the braid as well. Sometimes if my hair isnt cooperating I will use a detangling spray or light light oil to help separate the sections.
As for what to look for in shampoos I would just say look at the products you currently or have used in the past that you enjoyed and see what's in those products. Then when at the store you can scan the ingredients for similar formulations. For conditioner pretty much the same, it's fun to experiment with new products but you can usually set yourself up for success if you know what your hair likes. (It does take some fails to find out what your hair DOESNT like)